Essex School Committee Approves $102,000 HVAC Repair, Full OPEB Contribution at Fall Opener

ESSEX — September 2, 2025 — Essex School Committee opens year with clean audit, $102,000 HVAC repair, and full OPEB transfer. The Manchester Essex Regional School Committee voted unanimously at its September 2 meeting to appropriate $102,000 from its capital stabilization fund — reducing the balance to roughly $904,000 — to replace a failing energy recovery wheel in the middle-high school's rooftop HVAC unit, which Superintendent Pamela Beaudoin said could cost half a million dollars to replace entirely if it fails. The committee also approved the full $696,941 other post-employment benefits trust fund contribution for fiscal year 2025, overriding an earlier plan to reduce it by $150,000, after Business Manager Michelle Rodrigues reported that surpluses in the retirement assessment and utility lines could cover a health insurance budget shortfall instead. Auditors from CBiz delivered an unmodified opinion on the FY24 financial statements, noted no internal control deficiencies, and reported the district's OPEB trust fund at $6 million — with the district "at the head of the line" among Massachusetts regional school districts in funding that liability, which stands at $24.1 million. Beaudoin also disclosed a new IRS payroll audit and announced that architect JCJ has been formally assigned to the Essex elementary school building project, with the first community information meeting planned for October 8.